Press Release
On May 2, comic book stores will kick off Children’s Book Week (May 4-10, 2015), the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading, by giving away over two million comics to younger readers on Free Comic Book Day! With over two dozen kid -friendly titles to choose from, there’s a free comic book available to help every young reader get into the spirit of Children’s Book Week which will be celebrated the following week with more fun, book-themed events, appearances from beloved children’s book authors and illustrators, and more in all fifty states.
Comics’ industry leaders Diamond Comic Distributors and Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) are partnering with Every Child a Reader and the Children’s Book Council to bring greater focus to what comics offer kids, with cross-industry promotions and targeted resources for parents & educators during Children’s Book Week. In addition to Free Comic Book Day, the organizations will partner with authors, publishers, and comics specialty and book retailers to create Children’s Book Week events spotlighting comics and the joy of reading at locations all over the United States!
Jennifer L. Holm, three-time Newbery Honoree and CBLDF board member says, “When I was a child, my love of reading started with comic books. Today, as a comics creator myself, and as a mom, I’m excited by how much extraordinary storytelling is happening for young people in comics. Children’s Book Week is a wonderful time for people to come together and share the love of reading comics with kids everywhere!”
“Comics and graphic novels are incredible tools for fostering a love of reading in children, and transmit valuable literacy skills to readers of all levels. We are delighted to partner with Free Comic Book Day to share the joy of comics with kids nationwide this Children’s Book Week,” says Nicole Deming, interim director of the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader.
“On behalf of comic shops nationwide that promote reading in their communities on Free Comic Book Day and all year round, and the writers, artists and publishers creating a fantastic array of children’s comics today, we welcome this opportunity to collaborate with Children’s Book Week and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund,” added Roger Fletcher, Diamond VP Sales & Marketing.
Free Comic Book Day leads off the celebration of Children’s Book Week at more than 2,000 comic book specialty stores, which will be giving away free kids comics ranging from an all-ages Marvel Comics Avengers story to Scholastic Publishing’s Cleopatra in Space to SuperMutant Magic Academy by indy publisher Drawn & Quarterly. For a complete listing of Free Comic Book Day titles for young readers, visit www.freecomicbookday.com. Some participating stores will also host events, workshops, and signings for kids on Free Comic Book Day. To find a participating comic book store, please visit www.freecomicbookday.com/storelocator.
Throughout Children’s Book Week, comic shops and bookstores, libraries, and community groups host events in every state including storytime, author appearances, displays, and more! Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader will announce events on their websites. To get yours included, please email info@cbldf.org and cbc.info@cbcbooks.org . In the weeks to come, Diamond and CBLDF will also be creating event resources encouraging comic shop retailer participation.
To learn more about Children’s Book Week, and how you can join the fun, please visit www.bookweekonline.com. Check out official events from coast to coast at www.bookweekonline.com/official. To learn more about Free Comic Book Day, please visit www.freecomicbookday.com. To learn more about Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and their efforts to protect kids’ right to read, please visit www.cbldf.org.
About Every Child A Reader (ECAR) –Every Child a Reader is a 501(c)(3) literacy organization dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children. Every Child a Reader creates and supports programs that strive to make the reading and enjoyment of children’s books an essential part of America’s educational and social aims and enhance public perception of the importance of reading. ECAR’s programs include Children’s Book Week, a nationwide celebration of books and reading, and the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country; The Children’s Choice Book Awards, the only national book awards program where the winning titles are selected by kids and teens of all ages; and The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Program, the country’s “Children’s Literature Laureate”. Please visit http://www.ecarfoundation.org.
About The Children’s Book Council (CBC)—The Children’s Book Council is the national nonprofit trade association for children’s book publishers. The CBC offers children’s publishers the opportunity to work together on issues of importance to the industry at large, including educational programming, literacy advocacy, and collaborations with other national organizations. Our members span the spectrum from large international houses to smaller independent presses. The CBC is proud to partner with other national organizations on co-sponsored reading lists, educational programming, and literacy initiatives. Please visit http://www.cbcbooks.org for more information.
About Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) — Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization protecting the freedom to read comics! Our work protects readers, creators, librarians, retailers, publishers, & educators who face the threat of censorship. We monitor legislation & challenge laws that would limit the First Amendment. We create resources that promote understanding of comics & the rights our community is guaranteed. Every day we publish news & information about censorship events as they happen. We are partners in the Kids’ Right to Read Project & Banned Books Week. Our expert legal team is available at a moment’s notice to respond to First Amendment emergencies. CBLDF is a lean organization that works hard to protect the rights that our community depends on. For more information, visit www.cbldf.org.
About Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) —Free Comic Book Day is the comic book specialty market’s annual event where participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their comic shops. The event is held the first Saturday in May and is the perfect opportunity to introduce friends and family to the many worlds of wonder available at local comic book shops. From super-heroes to slice-of-life to action/adventure and beyond, Free Comic Book Day has a comic book for everyone! For more information, visit www.freecomicbookday.com.
About Diamond Comic Distributors (DCD)-Diamond is at the nexus of comics and pop culture merchandise. Based in Baltimore, MD, DCD is the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books and pop-culture related merchandise, servicing more than 4,000 specialty retailers worldwide. For more information, visit Diamond on the web at www.diamondcomics.com.
